Information Minister Zainuddin Maidin a.k.a ZAM is feeling paranoid, to the extent that he mentioned about bloggers for a record of three times in the month of May 2007 itself.

March 21:

Zainuddin advised readers suspicious of the information posted on blog websites to refer to the mainstream media to get the true picture.

May 5:

It is feared that these (blog sites) will be misused by those who have an agenda to spread slander. By right, there should be a mechanism to control this phenomenon, including by classifying web bloggers as professionals and non-professionals.

May 20:

He advised the people not to be carried away by the negative views of certain individuals about the government through postings in their blog sites.

"They try to incite the people’s ill-feelings (through their blogs)," he said.

May 22:

"We do not consider them (bloggers) as a threat but we do not want to return to the era where we depend on rumours (for news),"

As much as I understand it’s his pleasure to curb bloggers, his brain is deadlocked in figure out the best reasoning to exercise constraint on bloggers too. Doesn’t matter he as the minister being seen as a laughing stock by international medias, at least he was perceived to be doing the right thing within his league of gentlemen.

So, after going around the bush for a while, he has finally came to a point where he agrees that bloggers do not pose any threat towards the Government.

Indeed, if we’re to look into ZAM’s concern, it’s right for we bloggers to ask ourselves, who are we to pose any threat towards the Government?

Instead of feeling paranoid, he should have thanked bloggers for doing a huge favor for the Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi in working with him rather than work for him, telling him the truth and not what he wants to hear, telling him not only the good things, but bad things too?

Don’t worry ZAM, we’re here to continue working with your boss.

The Star SMS alert at 5:47pm.

PM has told Works Minister S Samy Vellu to do this duty and undertake all repairs in Parliament building and stop blaming others.

For our PM who is usually angry and upset but for him to utter such a million dollar sentence asking Samy Vellu to shut up, one can imagine the seriousness level.

So Samy, shut up and do your work. Period.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi announced a substantial pay rise of up to 35 percent for civil servants and 42 percent for police and military personnel.

As much as this blogger would like to question the timing of the increment, let me first congratulate all the beneficiaries as it has been a while since the last pay rise. I honestly believe and hope that this move would help to elevate working spirit, reduce the corruption level (fingers cross) as well as attract and to retain the best and brightest in the bureaucracy.

However, while announcing the salary increase, what’s lacking in the PM speech is a timely reminder on what’s his, or rather taxpayers expectation towards the deliverables.

Since they’ve been promised what they’ve been asking for, it’s fair enough for us to expect a clean, trustworthy and efficient civil service in order to cope with a rapidly changing external environment. To meet the challenges ahead, it’s essential that the civil service keeps pace with the community it serves, improve itself and enhance its efficiency.

A proper appraisal system should be put in place to reward performing servants and remove redundant staffs to ensure taxpayers’ money are well spent too. Apart from that, this is the best opportunity for civil servants to implement structural reforms in order to make the public system more flexible and better meet the needs of Malaysians.

More importantly, don’t you think there is no better time than now to prove to we Malaysians that you truly deserve the increment, do you?

The minister who yielded the keris 2 years ago is now talking about globalization.

Indah khabar daripada rupa.

There was once when the Government was so gung-ho about the plan to build a bridge across its half of the Johor Strait.

Of course, that was way back in 2006. Since then, the plan was scrapped with Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi cited legal implications and complications as the reason.

"Problems will arise when we have to cut the causeway, the water pipes and railway track and connected them to the new bridge. The problems will continue," he said.

Tun Mahathir was so upset about it. He couldn’t believe the sovereignty of our country can be violated so easily and condemned the Government for showing over-respect towards Singapore.

"I think this is a … country with no guts," Tun said.

By the time Tun realized that he made the wrong choice, it was too late.  Nasi sudah menjadi bubur. Gradually, bridge issue was put into cold fridge, no further discussion. Nothing. Period.

On Friday, Singapore’s Channel News Asia reported Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar as saying that he is keen to start on fresh negotiations of a new bridge plus connection to Singapore via their Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system!

"There’s no better time than now when relationship is so superb, so good, to take advantage of the environment, the environment is conducive for some concrete achievements while looking at the old tracks, tracks to be resolved." […]

"The bridge is important, because I think we want give a different face to the southern gate to Malaysia…We are very happy to be integrated together on the MRT, and it will serve well both sides, Singapore as well as the internal Iskandar Development Region.

After more than a year of self-denial from PM and his cabinet members, we’re indeed back to square, with the exception as in void of any legal implications and complication as mentioned by the PM back in 2006.

The questions are, is there any viagra factor that Syed Hamid or PM would want to fill us in on the details? Why now? Why the sudden U-turn again? Why there isn’t any legal implications and complication as of now? Why?

When Indian film director Sanjiv Mishra was in Malaysia to shoot a documentary, he was detained by Rela officers after mistaking him for an illegal immigrant.

According to a report by Malay Mail, the producer was shaken and scared by the experience where he was surrounded by up to seven men before being shoved into a van.

"These men were not in uniform and didn’t identify themselves and when they surrounded him, he thought he was about to be kidnapped and robbed."

Apparently, Tourism Minister Tengku Adnan Tengku Mansor was shocked by the incident and apologized. He slammed the Rela for its insensitive approach to foreigners and reminded them not to go overboard while carrying out their duties.

"Once the international media gets wind of the incident, they will ‘whack’ us and Malaysia’s image may get tarnished," he said.

However, that’s not about it. Less than a week after the event, an Indian software professional was handcuffed and detained by police for not carrying his passport while shopping.

This time, the India Government is furious and asked the Foreign Ministry led by Syed Hamid Albar to ensure that such incidents will not repeat.

"We immediately took up the issue with the Malaysian Foreign office and are following it up today (Sunday)," the official told The Associated Press.

"We have requested the Malaysian authorities to ensure that such incidents do not take place again," he said.

For now, the repercussion is yet to be seen and we should consider ourselves lucky to get away without any act of boycott from Indian visitors.

However, by looking into the frequent occurrence of wrong detention, it’s time for the Government to conduct a serious study into the current methodology of tracking illegal immigrants. Be it police or Rela officers, they must be well trained and not to be overzealous when the country reputation is at stake, especially when we’re halfway through the Visit Malaysia Year 2007.

As for the Tourism Ministry, Tengku Adnan should realize this is a costly lesson not to be taken lightly and making visitors feeling at home is an utmost priority to ensure effort poured into making VMY 2007 a successful event will not go down the drain.

Let’s make no mistake about it, we’re talking about a possible influx of 300,000 Indian visitors, something that we can’t afford to let loose.

(SOURCE: Malaysiakini)

It’s a must read book which provides another insight into the May 13 incident which led to the establishment of New Economy Policy (NEP), which is still in place until now, 38 years after the unfortunate event. Quote from Wikipedia:

May 13: Declassified Documents on the Malaysian Riots of 1969 by academic and former Member of Parliament Kua Kia Soong — was published by Suaram.

Based on newly declassified documents at the Public Records Office in London, the book alleged that contrary to the official account which had blamed the violence on opposition parties, the riot had been intentionally started by the "ascendent state capitalist class" in UMNO as a coup d’etat to topple the Tunku from power.

Grab one for yourself at major bookstores like MPH and Kinokuniya before it’s banned. Alternatively, you can buy online via Malaysiakini’s Kinibooks.com at RM20 each.

You can talk until the cows come home and remain on the discussion table.

7 weeks after the March 31 deadline, General Motors (GM) and Volkswagen (VW) are still talking to Proton, who already asked for more money from the Government to pay off unprofitable dealers.

It was reported by Forbes that a senior government official declined to specify the areas that talks with GM are focused on, but said: "No deadline has been set for the negotiations."

Already the Proton stock has fallen 17 percent this year, sounds like a perfect combination for disaster in making.

After 2 months, World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz agreed to resign over his handling of a pay package for his girlfriend, a bank employee.

(SOURCE: BBC, 18 May 2007)

Conflict of interest is a big thing in US. The imminent exit of Wolfowitz is a good example.

Unlike Malaysia, conflict of interest is deeply ingrained. Oh you don’t know?

Apologize, no apologize, then re-apologize.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil concluded the case is now over. However, blogger Bernard Khoo isn’t satisfied with the outcome.

Sorry is such a cheap word today. If the cabinet had had what it takes to do a man’s job, they would have sacked both the MPs and then hurray we will have 2 buy-election and millions would be seeing its merry way to those two constituencies. Not a bad idea, on hind-sight .

Lady, you suck, to put it very midly…..women wont be proud of you if that is all you managed….just an apology. Did you notice them snigger when they left your office? Hantu, saw.

And the cabinet….time you got new sets of dentures from you know who, what? Shylock would have done a better job….pound of flesh with the blood too. But this is Malaysia. This is how we operate. To another fifty years of deceit, chicanery and tidak apa.

To those who think that they’re sincere in their apologize, think again. The past record has proven otherwise, it’s only a matter of time before a renewed attempt for another cheap shot.

For that, we must stand together and continue to belittle this phenomenon until the few small time morons get kicked out from the Parliament.